Manganos Found Guilty On Federal Charges

Former Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and his wife, Linda, arrive at the federal courthouse in Central Islip. (Photo by Johnny Milano for The New York Times)

This time, there was no mistrial.

A federal jury convicted Ed and Linda Mangano of bribery and other federal charges on March 8.

No sentencing date has been set for the Bethpage couple, both 56.

According to a press release by the Eastern District of New York, Ed Mangano, Nassau County executive from Jan. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2017, was found guilty “of accepting bribes and kickbacks in exchange for official government action, and for conspiracy to obstruct justice.”

Linda Mangano, the release continued, “was also convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and (two counts) making false statements to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in connection with her employment by Long Island restaurateur Harendra Singh.”

Ed Mangano was found not guilty of one count of honest services wire fraud charge and an extortion charge. Linda Mangano was acquitted of one of the counts of lying to the FBI.

Former Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto—originally charged along with the Manganos—was cleared of similar charges by a jury on May 24, 2018.

The government’s case centered on the relationship between the three accused and restaurateur/concessionaire Singh of Laurel Hollow. Singh, 60, who held concessions at the Town of Oyster Bay golf course and its two beaches, was accused of bribing the then-elected officials in exchange for loan guarantees in Oyster Bay, as well as contracts with the county government. He pleaded guilty to bribery charges and became a prosecution witness,

The indictment unsealed on Oct. 20, 2016 charged Ed Mangano and Venditto with conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and honest services fraud.

Linda Mangano reportedly was given a “no-show” job by Singh at his Water’s Edge restaurant at her husband’s behest. Between April 2010 and August 2014, the government claimed, she earned $450,000.

In addition, the government charged the accused and their families of receiving free meals at Singh’s numerous eateries, free limousine rides, vacations paid by Singh and even, in the case of Mangano’s son, a watch that cost Singh more than $7,000.

All three originally pleaded not guilty.

Then Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano during a tour of the Nassau County Coliseum renovation back in March 2016. (Photo by Frank Rizzo)

On May 31, 2018, U.S. District Judge Joan Azrack declared a mistrial in the government case against the Bethpage couple after the jury foreman stated that he could no longer carry out his duties and asked to be excused. Reportedly, the jury was deadlocked over the charges against the Manganos.

The retrial began Jan. 22, and the jury began deliberations on Feb. 28 at the Alphonse M. D’Amato U.S. Courthouse in Central Islip.

According to prosecutors, “Edward Mangano faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on honest services wire fraud charges and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for federal program bribery, and up to five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. Edward Mangano and Linda Mangano each face up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each obstruction of justice charge, and up to five years’ imprisonment for each false statement charge.”

Ed Mangano’s attorney, Edward Keating, and James Carman, attorney for Linda Mangano, both declared their intention to appeal.

Nassau County Executive Laura Gillen, in a statement, said, “Today is a sad reminder that for too long, Nassau County’s taxpayers paid a high price for a government that did not work for them. Our residents have footed the bill for a culture of corruption that has been allowed to permeate throughout our county government, enriching the few while betraying the many. Today I want our residents to know this: Nassau has turned the page. I took office with a simple promise to restore trust and fiscal integrity in Nassau, and I’m proud that my administration is delivering on that promise.”